Celebrate Michael J. Fox’s 60th birthday with his most iconic movies
One of the most beloved actors of all time ―and a symbol of the 1980s ― Michael J. Fox turns sixty years old today. His career in movies & television is full of memorable characters from every genre imaginable. From comedy to sci-fi, this Canadian artist has shown his enormous talent & vivacity.
A man of multiple facets, Michael not only works in acting, but he’s also an author & activist, especially for those who had Parkinson’s disease, like he does. Michael created his foundation in 2000 and helped raise over $900 million for the development of new therapies to make life better for those with the illness.
That said, we’re not here to talk about Michael’s other accomplishments – we are here to remember his most iconic movies, what we love the most. Without delay, let’s dive into Michael J. Fox’s movies that we all cherish.
Back to the Future trilogy (1985-1990)
We’re starting with the most iconic of all of Michael J Fox’s roles: Marty McFly. He and Dr. Brown (Christopher Lloyd) are the faces of one of the most successful sci-fi franchises, Back to the Future. Both characters drive the action in the trilogy.
Marty, however, is the hero of the story. He travels in time to change the course of history and along the way, meets his past, present, and future selves. He also meets his ancestors in Back to the Future III and his own future family in Back to the Future II, including his wife Jennifer and kids of their own.
And, who can remember the “Johnny B. Goode” rendition at the high school dance in 1955? That guitar performance sequence has definitely put the scene in the list of the most iconic of all times and we, the fans, will always have that in our minds & hearts.
Doc Hollywood (1991)
Unlike the action of the Back to the Future trilogy, this 1991 movie is a lot more quaint, but it also brings out Michael’s talent as he plays a much different character than Marty McFly. In this picture, Michael plays Dr. Ben Stone, a young physician that, on the way to a job interview, crashes his car into a fence in a small town.
As a result, Ben goes to court and gets sentenced to community service in town, which leads him to work at the local hospital. That event ends up transforming his character for the better.
Dr. Stone begins the movie as a selfish & cocky doctor, whose attitudes start to change while in the small town. His honest work at the hospital, combined with helping the community, serves as his redemption, bringing all the charisma that we love to enjoy in Michael J. Fox’s movies.
Greedy (1994)
In this comedy, Michael J. Fox gives life to Daniel, a member of a family that was trying to push him aside to get a huge inheritance from an about-to-die uncle. All characters in the movie show their selfish side for most of the action.
In a strategic move, Daniel adopts his relatives’ attitudes, and he also becomes a selfish person, putting every single character of the movie in the spotlight, making us laugh out loud whenever we watch it.
Casualties of War (1989)
Here’s one of the most dramatic roles Michael J. Fox has ever played on both movies & television. This Vietnam War drama shows different conflicts among U.S. military troops stationed in the Asian country. Michael played Eriksson, a soldier who stands up and objects to a sergeant who ordered his troop to kidnap a Vietnamese woman.
Despite Eriksson’s dissent, the troop ended up kidnapping and raping the civilian. All in front of his eyes! But he decided to fight the troop, not accepting the rape passively.
The American President (1995)
This may not be a movie where Michael J. Fox was not the leading character, but his supporting role played a good portion of the action. He played Lewis Rotschild, a domestic policy advisor that worked directly with President Andrew Shepherd, played by Michael Douglas.
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As you can see, Michael J. Fox is a talented actor who deserves all our praise on this day, as we celebrate his life & career. And watching these iconic movies will be our best wishes. What’s your favorite Michael J Fox role? Let us know in the comments!
